Ex-Situ updates (March 2012) - Ministry of Environment and Forests

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The table given below will make the situation amply clear: 6 Year of Establishment Number of Zoos (Area Category wise in ha ) ≥50 20-50 10-20 5-10 ≤5 Total Prior to 1950 1 3 2 7 6 19 1951 to 1960 4 1 3 4 7 19 1961 to 1970 0 2 4 3 5 14 1971 to 1980 11 11 9 7 55 93 1981 to 1990 11 7 8 9 86 121 1991 to 1993 13 22 4 134 175 Total 27 37 38 34 294 440 *Besides there were 23 mobile zoos also Identification of zoos which had the potential to develop The task ahead of the Central Zoo Authority was to categorize the existing zoos in two categories i.e. those zoos continuance of which was in the interest of wildlife conservation and the zoos the continuance of which was not in the interest of wildlife conservation. To achieve this goal the authority finalized the standards and norms regarding housing, upkeep, health care and other matters related to zoos and got them notified as Recognition Of Zoo Rules 1992 by the Government. Thereafter the long drawn process of evaluation of the zoos was taken up. The zoos whose continuation was not found in the interest of wildlife conservation were given time to improve and if needed shift to alternative site. The zoos which failed to improve were asked to close down and the zoos which had the potential to improve and showed willingness to improve were granted recognition and allowed to continue operation. At the time of the first evaluation no zoo in the country conformed to any of the standards and norms notified in the Recognition of Zoo Rules. Therefore the zoos which had the potential to Area-wise break up of zoos granted recognition and still operational ≥50 ha 20-50ha 10-20ha 5-10 ha ≤ 5 ha TOTAL 33 25 29 31 58* 176 *includes 24 rescue centres, 3 breeding centres and 5 snake parks come up to the prescribed standards and norms had to be given conditional recognition, prescribing a time frame in which the inadequacies were to be redressed. However it was amply clear that the zoos had neither the resources nor the technical know how to redress the problem on their own. Therefore the next priority of the authorities was to facilitate the zoos in their development on scientific lines. Hornbill at Sepahijala Zoo Improvement of zoos which had the potential to develop The Central Zoo Authority requested the Government of India to allocate sufficient funds for meeting the Photo credit: Himanshu Malhotra
Photo credit: Himanshu Malhotra Clouded leopard at Sepahijala Zoo developmental needs of the zoos.The request was gladly accepted by the Government. Over last 20 years more than 150 crores have been provided by the authorities as grant to various zoos for improvement of animal housing, development and upkeep of infrastructure and upgrading and creation of health care facilities. An expert group has been set up in the authority to advise the zoos on animal enclosure designing and approving the enclosure designs submitted by the zoos to the authority. The evaluation teams, consisting of zoo experts visit the zoos periodically to tender advise to them on all matters related with zoo planning and conservation. Meetings of zoo directors, zoo vets, educators and biologists are held annually to expose them to new concepts of zoo management and to get their feedback on the approach being adopted by the authority. Two week capsule courses are also organized in alternate years for the zoo directors and zoo supervisors for providing specialized inputs to them on different aspects of zoo management. One zoo director and one zoo veterinarian are sent every year to Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, U.K for attending the three week course on ‘Conservation of Endangered Species’. Periodically some zoo supervisors are also sent for advanced training abroad. Capsule training programmes for zoo keepers are also organized every year in every region of the country. To begin with, the Recognition of Zoo Rules concentrated more on routine animal maintenance issues but with the rise in the capabilities of the zoos greater emphasis is being put on higher issues like master planning, conservation breeding, tranquilization and visitor education. The Recognition of Zoo Rules were amended in 2009 to provide required thrust on these issues. Minimizing the impact on the natural landscape of the area is also an important component of the rules now. Augmenting the health care facilities Central Zoo Authority has been giving the highest priority to the animal health care facilities. Substantial investments have been made for providing appropriate equipment and literature to the zoo hospitals but high rates of mortalities continue to plague the zoos. A lack of experienced veterinarians continue to be a serious limiting factor. The authority therefore decided to involve the eminent veterinary institutions in the health management of zoo animals and established Regional Health Centres by providing grants to carry out investigation and diagnosis of diseases in zoo animals and provide prophylactic treatment. Grants were given to Khanpara Veterinary College, Assam, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture University, Bhuvaneshwar, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai, Anand Veterinary College and the Indian Vetenary Research Institute. The arrangement has proved quite successful. Veterinary workshops were organized alternate years in different places like Indian Veterinary Research Institute 1996, Delhi 2003, Chennai 2010. Conservation of endangered species Conservation of endangered species has been quite high on the agenda of the authority. With the objective of providing proper orientation to zoos of the country the following workshops were organized with the help of international experts: 1. General- Zoo vision workshop 1994, Future strategy workshop Hyderabad 1998 & The Conservation breeding & Genetic Management workshop Delhi 2000. 2. PHVA workshops- Lion Tailed Macaque (1993), Indian Lion (1993), Sangai, Swamp Deer (1995), Red Panda(1994) & Ghariyal(1994). Central Zoo Authority has already identified priority species for conservation breeding programmes and the programmes of breeding 20 species have already been launched. To provide technical support to the programme, research projects have been launched for several species and field biologists placed in various zoos. Genetic management Central Zoo Authority with the help of CSIR and Department of Science & Technology, GOI has established the Laboratory on Conservation of Endangered Species at Hyderabad with DNA and Cryopreservation facilities. All the animals to be used in the conservation breeding are being subjected to detailed DNA mapping to ensure that no related animals are allowed to breed. CZA while providing the zoos of the country a proper direction, has also done well in accommodating and rehabilitating 400 lions and about 100 tigers rescued from circuses. Sloth Bears held with madaris have also been successfully rehabilitated by the Bear Rescue Centre, Agra. Rescue Centres for leopards have also been established. Central Zoo Authority has undoubtedly done very well in bringing up the zoos of the country from the dire state of management to a state of preparedness for taking up the role of centres of conservation. The author is the founder Member Secretary of CZA and a retired Additional Director General of Forests (WL) Government of India. 7
Page 3 and 4: Jayanthi Natarajan MESSAGE Minister
Page 6: According to a survey undertaken by
Page 15: associated with these activities. I
Page 18 and 19: CZA approves Layout Plans in 60th m
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Ex-Situ updates (March 2012) - Ministry of Environment and Forests

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